Merguez Spice Blend

Merquez are Algerian and Tunisian sausages made with lamb. Merguez are not "Moroccan sausages". While I'm at it, I'll add that harissa is also Algerian and Tunisian. Packaged "Moroccan harissa" as a "traditional Moroccan sauce" is a marketing invention. Merguez sausage and harissa entered tourist areas in Morocco to meet foreign demand.

One of my sources for this information is my Moroccan friend Rachid of The Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (National Center for Scientific Research). We had an interesting discussion about how merguez and harissa became increasingly common in tourist areas in Morocco during the past several decades.

Back to the recipe- I use a combination of ground shoulder and leg meat with added hard fat (the fat around cuts of meat, not the fat from the tale). Do not be afraid of hard fat! It's what helps keep the sausages moist and adds lots of flavor and texture. My recipe is written in parts. I also add fresh garlic, salt, and fresh cilantro. If you want a more piquant merguez add more cayenne. This is the spice blend I use at school in fabrication class, the prepared merguez is sent to the school's cafe and bistro. I have a more complex merguez blend but the list of spices is staggering. However this basic recipe produces a pretty standard
flavor profile.

edited on August 25, 2007 to add quantities

1 kilo ground shoulder and leg

250 grams finely diced hard fat

4 cloves garlic, mashed with 1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon harissa

1 tablespoon finely minced cilantro

1 tablespoon merguez spice blend

Cook's note: the quality and intensity of spices on the market can vary considerably. Add one tablespoon and cook a little patty of meat to taste it. If it isn't spicy enough for you add more spice blend.

This is the color merguez spice blend should have.

Merguez Spice Blend

1 part Cumin

1/4 part turmeric

1/8 part caraway

1/6 coriander

1/16 fennel

1/8 dried thyme (zaatar)

¼ sumac

1/4 sweet paprika

1/8 ancho chile powder

1/4 cayenne

1/32 black pepper

1/32 white pepper

1/32 pink pepper

Comments

[Mike Todd]

Dear Farid:

Approximately how much of this seasoning blend would you use per kilo of meat and fat?

Also, what ratio of fat to meat do you typically use when making this sausage?

Thanks for the information about the westward "migration" of merguez--very interesting.